Labour’s attack on St George's granite ‘vandalism’

Sep 3 2008 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

KIRKLEES is carrying out a “wanton act of vandalism” on a Huddersfield landmark, a councillor has said.

The council is installing 750 tonnes of Chinese granite in St George’s Square at a cost of £215,000. The work is part of a £4m revamp of the Victorian square.

Greenhead Labour councillor Mehboob Khan has criticised the use of Chinese pink granite by the council’s Conservative Cabinet and plans to raise the issue at today’s Kirklees Council meeting.

He said: “This Tory Cabinet, which has no councillors in central Huddersfield wards, is failing to listen to local people’s concerns about this issue. The Conservatives need to stop this wanton act of vandalism of our town.”

Clr Khan noted that English Heritage, the Government’s adviser on the historic environment, advised against using Chinese granite in the conservation area.